Refrigerator and tray construction



1 Oct. 2 1945. 5 SWEDMAN 2,386,150

REFRIGERATOR AND lRAY CONSTRUCTIOIJ Filed March 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 2,-1945. E. SWEDMAN 2,335,150

REFRIGERATOR AND TRAY conswnucwron Filed March. 14,1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 2, 1945 I V I 2,385,150; y itE nrGER ToR AND TRAr'ooNs'rnUcrIoN EnochQSwedman; St. Paul;- Minn assignor to Seeger Refrigerator Company, St. Paul, Minn., aporporation ofiMinnesota a r Application March 14, 1942, Serial No. 434,658

1 v4. Claims. (01. 312-150) My invention relates to" an improvement in refrigerator and tray construction, wherein it is desired to provide a novel type of tray and tray Support for mechanical refrigerators;

vide a tray having a pair' of oppositelydisposed outwardly extending flanges: cooperablewith a slide supported withinthebo'dy of the refrigerator. The flanlgefof the tray'is provided with notch means in each flangewhich terminates in It has become common practice tosupport a 5. a'shoulder spaced from the rear edge or the tray; tray beneath the evaporator unit of a mechani- This shoulder cooperates with an inwardly turned cal refrigerator for the storage of foods and other ear or stop shoulder formed asfa part of each products Which are to be maintained at a low slide. Whenthe tray is drawnforwardly in the temperature. s "the tray is positioned directly slide until the shoulderin the flange engages the beneath the evaporator unit, alow temperature 10 ear or stop shoulder on the 'slidathe tray is held is maintained within the tray. Furthermore, from further outward movement. "By lifting the such a tray may be used to catch moisture which forward end ofthe tray, however, the shoulder may drip from the evaporator unit during deof each tray flange is disengaged from the correfrosting of the unit. l spo-nding stop on the "slides to permit complete The object of the present invention is to proremoval of the trayvide a novel type of tray and support therefor, These and other objects and novel features of so as to prevent 'accidentalremoval of the tray. myinvention will be more clearly and fully set In order to gain access to'the contents of the forth in the following specification and claims; tray it is desirable that the tray'slide outwardly In the drawings "forming apart of my specififrom beneath the unit. I- have found that from cation: l 5 time to time trays of usual construction will be Figure 1 is a front elevational View -'of the pulled entirely out of their supporting slides, upper portion of a refrigerator showing the tray often allowing the contents of th'e trays to spill, supported beneath the evaporator unit of the; or allowing an entire tray to drop. refrigerator. y V I F It is an object of the present invention to pro- Figure 2 is a plan View cf'the tray d vide a pair of opposed slides 'slidably engaging supporting shelf therefor. the flanged edge of the tray so that the tray may Figure "3 is' apersp'ective view of a detail porbe pulled forwardly from its normal position tion ofthe s upporting'shelf and slide structure, immediately beneath the refrigerator unit. "Co also showinga portion of the "tray supportedoperating means are provided on the fianged tray thereby. y f g edge and on thesupporting slides to limit out Figure 4 is a sideelevational view of a portion ward movement of the tray. Thus, after the tray of the tray flange Sho 1 notch n s n has moved forwardly a. predetermineddistance, shoulder formed therein. the cooperating means will engage'to lock the Figure 5 is a central cross-sectional View tray from further outward movement; through the supporting shelf and slide construc- A further object of the present inve'nti'onre tion,- the position of the section being indicated sides in the provision of asimple" release, whereby: by the line 5- 5 ofFigure 2,but showing the "tray the cooperable means locking the'tra'de from outremoved. j y ward movement may be disengaged to permit' 4 Figure 6 is a view similarto Figure 5, showing complete removal of the tray when itisso de- 0 hetray in place upon the supporting slides. sired. The'weight of the tray and of the contents Figure 7 is a View similarto Figure Gshowing thereof normally'hold the 'cooperablem'eans on the tray in partially removed position. the t y and slide in engagement. By the simple 7 Figure 8 is'asectional view through the slide expedient of lifting'the forward end of the tray; and through the rim'of at'ray showing amodihowever, the cooperable means may be 'disenfied form of trayflangeconstruction. 7 gaged and the tray entirely removed. Figure 9 is a side elevation view of thetop \Vhile the structure defined relates particularly portion "of the tray illustrated in: Figure 8. to a tray positioned directly beneath the evap Figure 1 is a Per pe e View Of imodlfied rator unit of the'refrigerator, the same arrange v for m'Of St D which may e' f s rtment may be used for supporting a hydrat'or or ing'slide's. v 1 vegetable tray in some'other portion of the re- The cabinet H] of the refrigerator is provided frigerator, without materially changing the prinwitha door opening H, which may normally; be ciples of' the invention. I 3 closed by a door I2 hingedly seCurdtO the Gab It is a'fe'ature of the present invention to pronot H) by hinges "l3. evaporator unit'jB is mounted within'the cabinet and in the particular 7 type of refrigerator illustrated this unit is located centrally between the sides of the cabinet. The location of the unit B is of no importance in the present invention.

A shelf C is mounted within the refrigerator cabinet l9 and is supported by any suitable means. In the particular construction illustrated, supporting pins such as I4, indicated in Figure of the drawings, support the shelf C, the pins |4 being mounted on the side walls of the refrigerator cabinet l9. A stop shoulder l5 engages the forward pin l4 to prevent accidental outward movement of the shelf C, while a hookshaped bracket I6 extends around and beneath the rear pin |4 so as to prevent the rear end of the shelf from tilting upwardly. The manner ofsupporting the shelf C forms no part of the present invention.

The shelf C, in the form of construction illustrated, comprises a substantially U-shaped frame rod H which extends along the side walls and rear wall of the refrigerator cabinet. A pair of frame rods l9 extend in parallel relation to the opposed sides 29 of the frame I1 and in spaced relation thereto. The forward portions 2| of the frame rods |9 are laterally offset to widen the space therebetween to facilitate insertion and withdrawal of the tray. The forward ends of the frame rods l9 are connected to the forward ends of the opposed sides 29 of the frame member H by transversely extending connecting members 2 2. A series of parallel shelf rods 23 connect the rear member 24 of the frame ll to the transversely extendingconnecting members 22 to form a support for food or other products within the refrigerator.

A shelf is thus formed which is generally U- shaped in plan and which has an open central section to accommodate the tray D. The manner in which the tray is supported will now be described.

As best seen in Figures '3, 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings, a pair of inverted U-shaped supports 25 are mounted upon the frame rods [9. The supports 25 include a substantial horizontally extending portion 26 which extends parallel to and is spaced directly above the frame rods l9; and

downturned supporting ends 21 which are welded or otherwise secured to the frame rods IS. The horizontal portions 26 of the supports 25 act to Support the flanged edge 29 of the tray D, the lower surface of the flanged edges 29 resting upon the horizontal portions 26.

Secured to the supports 25 and extending along he length of the horizontal portions 26, 1- provide angle members 39. These angle members 39 are welded or otherwise affixed to the portions 26 of the supports 25 and extend upwardly from the outer surfaces thereof The flange 3| of each of the angles 39 extends horizontally over the portion 26 of each support 25 to form a track between the upper surface of the supports 25 and the under surface of the respective flange 3|. The flanges 3| extend over the side flanges 29 of the tray D, so as to prevent the tray from being lifted vertically off the Supports 25. The flange 3| is spaced somewhat above the flange 29 of the tray. however, to permit limited vertical movement for a purpose which will be later described.

Each of the angles 39 extend forwardly beyond the downturned supporting end 21 of each support 25. Adjacent the forward end of each of the angles, I provide an inturned ear 32 designed to engage the undersurface of a flange 29 on the tray D. Each car 32 is slightly above the level of the adjacent support 25 so that the forward end of the tray D is supported by the ears 32. These ears 32 cooperate to form a stop for limiting forward movement of the tray, as wil1 now be described.

In Figure 4 of the drawings, 1 disclose a side elevation view of a portion of the flange 29 of the tray D. A notch 33 is formed in the lower surface 34 of the flange 29. This notch 33 is formed with a sloping or inclined surface 35 at its forward extremity and is formed with a shoulder 36 at its opposite end. As the tray D is slid forwardly on its supporting tracks, the ears 32 engage the lower surface 34 of the flange 29 to support the forward end of the tray. When the tray is moved forwardly a sufficient distance, the ears 32 slide into the notches 33, which are in opposed relation on opposite side flanges 29. The shoulder 36 at the extreme end of the notch 33 engages against the inner end 31 of the corresponding ear 32, thus preventing further forward movement of the tray. Thus outward movement of the tray will be limited by the cooperation of the ears 32 and the shoulder 36, of the notch 33.

If it is desired'to entirely remove the tray D from the refrigerator, it is only necesssary to elevate the forward end of the tray D until the shoulder 36 is raised above the level of the ears 32, whereupon outward movement of the tray may be continued. The flange 3| is spaced above its corresponding support 25 sufiiciently to permit disengagement of the shoulder 36 from each ea: 32.

In Figures 8, 9, and 10 of the drawings, I disclose a modified form of construction which operates in a manner similar to the construction previously described. In this form of construction the frame rods 49 correspond to the frame rods HI, and the supports 4| corresponds with the supports 25. The supports 4| are provided with a horizontally extending portion 42 substantially parallel to the frame rods 49 and connected thereto by downwardly turned supporting ends 43 corresponding to the connecting ends 2'1. The lower extremity of the ends 43 of the supports 4| are welded or otherwise affixed to the frame rods 49.

Angles 44, similar to the angles 39, are welded or otherwise secured to the outer edges of the supports 4|. A horizontal flange 45 oneach'angle 44 extends above and in spaced relation to the horizontal portion 42 of the supports 4|. The angles 44 extend forwardly from the supports 4! and are provided with inturned ears 46 designed to extend beneath the flange of the tray.

Each of the ears 46 is either above the level of the supper surface of the supports 4| or else is provided with a shoulder 41 formed therein, as best illustrated in Figures 8 and 10 of the drawings. This shoulder 41 is designed to cooperate with the tray to limit the outward sliding thereof.

The'tray E, used in conjunction with the supporting structure illustrated in Figures 8 and 10. is similar or identical to the tray D in general shape and form. A pair of transversely extending side flanges 49 extend outwardly from the body 59 of the tray. This tray is provided with a rela tively thin flange portion 5| at the forward end of the tray. A shoulder 53 is provided between the flange portions 5| and 52. This shoulder 53 is designed to engage the shoulder 41 on the ear 46 to limit outward movement of the tray as it is pulled forwardly. Obviously by lifting the for ward end of the tray until the shoulder 53 is raised above the level of the shoulder 41, the forward mo e ent of the tray may be continued, if it portion of the flange 29 is raised above the surface of the supports 25 by the ears 32. While the shoulder construction 41 has been shown in conjunction with the trayE, it is obvious that the tray D could be similarly used with this type of stop shoulder. Similarly the tray E could be used in conjunction with the ears 32 without departing from the spirit of this invention.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction andoperation of my refrigerator and trayconstruction, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims, without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a slidable tray and a pair of tray supporting spaced tracks at the sides thereof, of an outwardly projecting flange on each tray side, one of said flanges having shoulder means therein intermediate the ends thereof, the spaced tracks each comprising an upwardly bowed inverted U-shaped support upon which said tray flanges may slide, an angular guide secured to one vertical side of the base of said inverted U-shaped support, said angular guide including a flange extending horizontally in spaced relation to the upper surface of said base, and an inwardly turned ear on said angular member above the level of the upper surface of said base engageable with said shoulder upon slidable movement of the tray in one direction.

2. The combination with a slidable tray and a pair of tray supporting spaced tracks at the sides thereof, of an outwardly projecting flange on each tray side including substantially right angular shoulder means, said tracks each comprising a substantially horizontally extending bar, a right angular angle member secured to one vertical surface of said bar, and projecting forwardly therefrom, said angle member including a flange in spaced horizontal relation to the upper surface of said bar, said bar and angle member forming a channel designed to receive a flange of the tray, and an ear in said angle member projecting horizontally above the level of said bar and forwardly therefrom to engage against said shoulder to limit relative slidable movement therebetween in one direction when said tray is held by gravity against said ear.

3. The combination with a slidable tray and a pair of tray supporting spaced tracks at the sides thereof, of an outwardly projecting flange on each tray side, one of the flanges having shoulder means therein intermediate the ends thereof, the spaced tracks each comprising a rod upon which said tray flanges may slide, an angular guide secured to one vertical side of said rod, said angular guide including a flange extending horizontally in spaced relation to the upper surface of said rod, and an inwardly turned ear on said angular member above the level of the upper surface of said rod engageable with said shoulder means upon slidable movement of the tray in one direction. I

4. The combination with a slidable tray and a pair of tray supporting spaced tracks at the sides thereof, of an outwardly projecting flange on each tray side including substantially right angular shoulder means, said tracks each comprising a substantially horizontally extending bar, a right angular member secured to one vertical surface of said bar, and projecting forwardly therefrom, said angle member including a flange in spaced horizontal relation to the upper surface of said bar, said bar and angle member forming a channel designed to receive a flange of the tray, an ear on said angle member projecting horizontally at approximately the level of said bar and forwardly therefrom, and projecting means on said ear extending above the level of said bar and designed to engage against said shoulder means to limit relatively slidable movement therebetween in one direction when said tray is held by gravity against said ear.

ENOCH SWEDMAN. 

